Red Snow
by Rapha7
Summary: Written for oneblanket lj community. Set after IH Manga Vol 31. Shohoku goes on skiing trip, and Sakuragi and Rukawa get lost in blizzard. Shonen ai implied. Rating T. RuHana MitsKog implied.


"Red Snow."

By

Rapha7

----Slam Dunk belongs to Takehiko Inoue.

----fanfic written for the oneblanket lj challenge. Rated T at most, but possible adult interpretations on situations. Implied SakuragixRukawa. Implied KogurexMitsui.

Sakuragi Hanamichi sang joyfully as he made his way to the train station. This was it! It was the ultimate vacation and he and Haruko-chan would definitely find true love. He couldn't wait to see her surrounded by snow, cheeks flushed with the cold air.

"So cute!" Sakuragi burst out loud, laughing gaily. He wore a bright red jacket with white fluffy fur around the collar and cuffs. A large gym bag slung across his shoulder was the only extra item he carried as he whistled and sang his way through the train station. People murmured quietly as he passed, too afraid to speak too loudly.

A little behind him, a lone figure dressed in black slacks and sweater, his black thermal coat draped over his arm, Rukawa Kaede rolled his eyes. Two bags were slung over his shoulder, and he frowned. Who ever heard of a basketball team going skiing? Weren't there better things to do? Like train?

Ahead of him at the landing, the others on the team waited, an assortment of first years, second years, and Mitsui stood talking with Anzai-sensei. Rukawa grimaced. This was not going to be a fun trip. Anything that didn't include basketball was a waste of time.

"Ah! Ah! Come on, Haruko-chan!" Ayako bolted through the crowds, dragging Haruko behind her.

"Just a minute, Ayako-san. Wait a minute!" Ayako and Haruko both gasped for breath as they joined their team.

"Waaa! Girls on a skiing trip!" Chortled a younger first year.

Ryota punched him over the head, "As your captain, it is my duty to inform you, HANDS OFF! That means all of you!" Ryota glared his promise of death.

Mitsui yawned, "Too bad Kogure and Akagi couldn't come…I know they're studying for their exams and all…but they were part of the team too…and it is a celebration."

Anzai-sensei chuckled, "Oh, I wouldn't count them out. I have made arrangements for them to come later. Now then, are you ready for this skiing trip, boys?"

Sakuragi leaned over the coach, "Are you sure you should go, old man? You seem kind of unfit for this sort of activity." He patted the coach's stomach.

"Ho hohohoho." Anzai chortled.

Mitsui pounded Sakuragi on the head, "Hey! Show some respect toward Anzai-sensei!"

Ryota pounded Sakuragi next, "Yeah! Besides, Anzai-sensei isn't going to ski!"

"Huh?" Sakuragi looked at him with confusion, "Then why are you going?"

"Ho ho ho ho ho…well, someone needs to keep an eye on you troublemakers." Anzai-sensei chortled, then turned toward the empty tracks. "The train will be here shortly. Has everyone their tickets?"

Rukawa muttered yes with the shouted words of approval, and Anzai-sensei's sharp eyes picked up on it.

"Ah, Rukawa-kun. I do believe I have something planned that you'll enjoy." Anzai-sensei said mysteriously.

Rukawa raised his head, alerted, "What do you mean, coach?"

Ayako announced suddenly, "We're having a scrimmage with the best basketball team in the area of the ski lodge. There are courts on site, after all. Anzai-sensei has prepared the skiing as a treat for before/after the game, of course. You all must be careful! Don't get injured while on the slopes!"

"NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA! As if I'd get injured!" Sakuragi laughed loudly as the train arrived.

Ayako's sharp gaze pinpointed on the red-haired giant, "Have you ever been skiing before, Sakuragi?"

His answer was drowned out by the sound of screeching brakes on metal.

Rukawa groaned mentally. 'Do aho.'

-----------

They arrived at the ski lodge early enough to hit the slopes for the first afternoon of skiing. After placing their bags in the large rooms shared by their teammates, the basketball players met in the lobby.

"So, we can rent or borrow equipment from the main office, over there." Ryota announced, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"YEA!" At the loud roar of the basketball players, the other guests cast annoyed looks at the loudly bustling group of boys.

Sakuragi whipped his head around and searched the lobby, frowning.

"Who are you looking for, Hanamichi?" Mitsui asked with a knowing smirk.

"Huh? Oh, Mitchi… I was wondering where Haruko-san and Ayako-san were."

Ryota's ear perked up and he was at their sides in an instant, "You've seen Ayako?"

"No, Ryo-chin. We were just looking for them…" Sakuragi blinked as he caught a dark glare from Rukawa, "Oy! Damn fox! What are you angry at me for?"

"…." Rukawa turned away and lined up for his turn in the equipment rental.

"Don't think I'll let you beat me on the slopes, RUKAWA!" Sakuragi bellowed dashing over to get in line, starting a bickering match with the silent forward.

Mitsui and Ryota exchanged glances, "Jeez…those two never quit."

Kogure chuckled from behind them, "Then where would be the interesting part of the club?"

Akagi, the old captain, loomed up from behind Sakuragi and Rukawa, who were now exchanging mild blows. He bopped them both on the head with his fists.

"Don't embarrass our school!" Akagi growled.

"Gori!"

"G..Captain!"

Mitsui turned and smiled at Kogure, "So how are the exams coming?"

"Ayako!" Ryota dashed over to greet the manager as she entered the lobby, Haruko close on her heels.

Kogure smiled warmly, "Going well enough. How's basketball?"

Mitsui grinned, clapping an arm around Kogure's shoulders, "Well there's never a dull moment now that Sakuragi's back. He and Rukawa are always squaring off someway…"

Kogure cleared his throat, "Mitsui, I've been wondering, what do you plan to do after high school?" He seemed a little reluctant to mention the topic.

Mitsui turned his head and studied Kogure's serious face, "I probably will get a job…since no school will take me seriously with my grades. There's no hope of passing an entrance exam for me."

Kogure glanced at him thoughtfully, "But if you had help…you could at least get into a local college…and they might have a basketball team…"

Mitsui cast a sharp glance at Kogure, "Really?"

"If you like," Kogure pushed up his glasses, "I can help you. Start tutoring you outside of practices."

Mitsui frowned, "What about your courses? Aren't you too busy?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. I've gotten into my choice college…but I would be honored to help the MVP do the same." Kogure cast a sideways glance over at Akagi who crossed his arms and nodded emphatically as Ayako and Haruko were making some comments before Rukawa and Sakuragi.

"Yeah. I mean, please." Mitsui suddenly bowed to Kogure, who flushed.

Kogure smiled warmly, "Well then, we'll start immediately."

"Huh?" Mitsui blinked as Kogure grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him away from the crowded lobby.

Kogure glanced back and grinned, "Luckily I brought some books with me. We can start with the basics."

Mitsui swallowed, "Ah…okay…" With one last tearful glance at the excited basketball team, Mitsui followed Kogure out of the lobby.

"…so as I was saying, Sakuragi, you have to be careful on the slopes, okay?" Ayako remonstrated.

Sakuragi rubbed his head, "Why is everyone so worried? I mean, it's only sliding on snow, right?"

"Do aho."

The comment started another scuffle which finally desisted when Gori knocked them on their heads again with his fists.

-------------------

On the slopes, dozens of skiers passed by the floundering Sakuragi as he attempted to move away from the ski lift.

"You can do it, Sakuragi!" Haruko encouraged as she waved at him from a good twenty feet away.

"Haruko-chan!" Sakuragi beamed and flushed, waving his arm wildly, with the pole and knocking over a few passing skiers.

"IDIOT!" Sakuragi managed to escape the commotion of the enraged skiers to find that Haruko had disappeared from sight.

"Man! I wanted to see more of Haruko-san in her cute ski outfit!" Sakuragi glumly slunk forward.

"Do aho!" Rukawa glided easily past and turned skillfully, "Watch yourself. We won't carry your dead body back up the mountain."

"What! Watch yourself, stinking fox!" Sakuragi shook a fist and nearly toppled over in the snow.

"Hmph. Stick to the bunny slopes," Rukawa pointed over to the very very small slopes that small children were screaming while tumbling in the snow with waiting instructors to correct their mistakes.

"WHAT? How dare you think that I---the tensai---can't ski!" Sakuragi's eyes sharpened, "Rukawa, do you really think you can beat me?"

Rukawa opened his mouth to answer, but was forestalled by a loud guffaw.

"So these are our opponents? Such ugly skiing posture!"

"Yeah…what's up with loudmouth? He can't even stand!"

"Jeez, these guys are going to be easy to defeat."

"He's right. Stick to the bunny slope, idiot!"

Four young men dressing in matching ski outfits taunted Sakuragi and Rukawa as they stood silently to take in their words.

"Bastards!" Sakuragi turned quickly, his skis catching Rukawa off guard, sending both of them tumbling to the ground.

"See! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The taunters left them sitting in the snow, glaring after them.

"Oy! Do' aho." Rukawa pushed at Sakuragi, "Get off me."

"Huh?" Sakuragi turned and realized he was sitting on top of Rukawa's lap, "EHHHH?" Sakuragi scrambled quickly away.

"Those bastards." Rukawa glared after their opponents.

"Yeah. I'd like to show them." Sakuragi gained his feet quickly, then used his poles and aimed directly for them.

"What…do aho!" Rukawa watched as Sakuragi veered sharply toward his target, who were dangerously close to the Dead Man's Thrill slope for advanced skiers. "Oh shit."

The scene played out slowly, Sakuragi sped toward the four jerks, who noticed and with agility were able to move out of the way, sending Sakuragi speeding past and down the worst possible slope.

"Shit!" Rukawa raced after Sakuragi on his skis. A beginner had no business being on that slope. Dangerous rocks, trees, the slope…all were too difficult to navigate for most people who had skied for years…let alone someone who had never strapped on a pair of skis…

Rukawa lowered his body closer to the ground, squatting and holding his poles close to his body as he followed the bright red hair and jacket.

"UWAAAAAAAAA!" Sakuragi screamed as he skied full speed down the slope.

-------

"Did you guys hear screaming?" Ryota asked from the beginning of one of the other slopes, they were resting near the hot tea/sake stand. Ayako and Haruko blinked at each other, then looked around.

Akagi stretched his head, "I don't see that idiot."

"Where's Rukawa-kun?" Haruko asked suddenly, "He was over with Sakuragi-kun, and now they're both gone."

Ayako, Ryota, and Akagi all paled. "I have a bad feeling," they said in unison.

------  
"UWAAAAAAAA!" Sakuragi screamed as he sped down the practically abandoned slope. Luckily there weren't that many skiers near for him to avoid. Somehow he'd managed to avoid the first few boulders and trees with sheer bravado and luck. "HEEEEELLLP MEEEEE!" Sakuragi shouted as the slope sharply declined.

Rukawa lowered his body and twisted around the obstacles easily, he was gaining on Sakuragi, who flailed his arms and continued speeding in crazy stances down the slope. A large rock appeared before Sakuragi and Rukawa winced as he waited for the impact. Somehow, miraculously, Sakuragi managed to avert the disaster before heading for the next danger.

"DO AHO!" Rukawa shouted, unable to help himself, "Try to slow yourself down!"

At some point, Sakuragi thought he heard Rukawa shouting behind him, but he couldn't be sure. His attention was completely riveted on the sudden drop off ahead of him. His last obstacle avoidance had pushed him to the side of the slope and now…now he was going to die.

"NO!" Sakuragi bellowed in rejection, trying to figure out how to stop.

Rukawa cursed and hurtled toward him, "DO AHO!"

From behind them, three of the initial troublemakers trailed quickly.

"Shit, this is bad!"

"If he goes over that edge…"

"Oh jeez!"

They caught their breaths as they saw the skier in black catch up to the red jacket and throw his arms around him, then fall backward on the slope, holding him tightly to his chest.

"They made it!"

"That was close!"

"Yeah, we'd better help them. It'll be impossible for that guy to get down the mountain in one piece."

Suddenly there was a loud cracking sound and the three troublemakers stopped their skis.

"What…?"

"Oh no."

"This is definitely not good."

The edge of the cliff that Rukawa had pulled Sakuragi back from dissolved in a flood of snow, taking them with it.

--------------------  
Sakuragi felt cold. Not just cold, but absolutely one hundred percent like a block of ice. Strangely though, his nose and fingers felt as if they were burning. He tried opening his eyes. Another face was inches from his own.

"UWAAA!" Sakuragi shouted, causing the closed eyes to open and look directly into his own.

Rukawa opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, "Do aho." He said weakly, leaning against him.

Sakuragi tried to push Rukawa off of him, but found he didn't have the strength.

"Huh? What happened?" Sakuragi finally asked when he gave up. They lay there, bodies piled on top of each other, unable to move.

"We fell off the mountain." Rukawa said, his warm breath tickling Sakuragi's face.

"No way! How are we going to get back?"

"I don't even know where we are. Digging out of the snow took way too long, and we were lucky enough to be tied together." Rukawa pointed out the line connecting them.

"What? How did that happen?" Sakuragi couldn't fathom why they were tied together.

"Ah…well I tied it around us when we fell. That way even in the snow, we could dig our way out together."

"I see. That makes sense." Sakuragi blinked at the darkness surrounding them, "Where are we?"

Rukawa expelled his breath shallowly, "I think…I think it's a supply cabin or something for the lodge or someone… Not much here though. Not even a fire."

Sakuragi groaned.

Rukawa flinched, "What?"

"I'm so hungry too."

"Heh. I think I've got something in my belt pack. Trail mix or something… but we should save it."

"Does that mean we won't get out of here?" Sakuragi asked solemnly.

"I don't really know where we are, but there were others following us, so someone will come look for us. I dragged you through a blizzard…and can't remember which way I turned. We were lucky not to fall off another cliff…"

Sakuragi quietly stared at the boards in the ceiling he was finally able to make out the shapes of. "It's cold."

"Yeah."

"Are we going to die?"

"I don't know."

"We might freeze. No fire."

"Yeah."

"Shit!"

"Yeah."

Sakuragi felt tears freeze at the corners of his eyes.

"You crying, do aho?"

"Shut up, stupid fox."

"Listen, we're alive right now, we have shelter, and we have some food."

"But…"

"We just have to stay warm."

"…How do we do that?"

Rukawa sighed, his warm breath brushing Sakuragi's neck. He really didn't have any energy.

"There is one blanket…an emergency blanket. It's pretty big, so we can use that… but it won't be enough. We'll have to stuff the cracks in the door. There aren't any windows, but the floor will stay cold…"

Sakuragi frowned, "It is cold. Like ice."

"Yeah. We have to stay warm somehow. At least the snow and wind aren't on us."

Sakuragi closed his eyes, "And I never even kissed Haruko-chan… Or walked to school with her… Or even held her hand."

Rukawa lifted his head and stared at Sakuragi. "I have an idea."

Sakuragi's eyes blasted open, his brown eyes shining with hope, "Really? Is it a good one?"

"Maybe. It's not going to be easy, though."

Sakuragi laughed a little shallowly, since it hurt to breathe, "Uh…I'm a tensai, right? So it doesn't have to be easy."

"Yeah, but this will be difficult."

Sakuragi frowned, "Tell me, damn fox. We have to stay warm."

"We need to use our clothes to keep the floor from cooling us. If we pile them together, we should have enough insulation…especially with our jackets. Then if we use the blanket and stay close together…we may live through the night." Rukawa answered steadily, his dark eyes staring directly into Sakuragi's brown eyes.

"Kitsune, I don't understand. That sounds easy."

Rukawa pushed himself up with great effort. Then he stared down at Sakuragi, "I don't think you understand. We won't be wearing clothes…and we'll have to be very very close."

Sakuragi blinked, "HUH!" His face contorted into a strange mixture of horror and disbelief.

"Yeah. Or we could die. And let those bastards get away with dissing our basketball skills. And I never get to America, and you never kiss Akagi's little sister."

"OY! You're not going to America without me, you bastard! I won't let you sneak away! I will definitely beat you!"

Rukawa's eyes widened, "So…" He let the word hang in the crystal of breath just before Sakuragi's face.

Sakuragi took a deep breath, "If we die even after this, kitsune, I will kill you a thousand times over…"

Rukawa untied the line. "Who would want to die next to you?"

Their movements were extremely slow, as their muscles were aching and very cold from the fall and temperature. Finally the clothes were arranged on the floor and Rukawa shook out the blanket to cover them.

"Are you ready for this?" Rukawa asked, as he leaned closer to Sakuragi, who uncharacteristically flushed.

"Shut up! I'm a tensai! This is nothing!" Though his words were bold, Sakuragi felt a little worried. His entire body ached and he could hardly move. Their bodies touched…skin brushing against skin and suddenly he felt warmth seep into his body from the contact. Immediately he sought to increase that feeling. "So cold…so cold."

Rukawa closed his eyes at the first feel of Sakuragi's flesh against his, then opened them when Sakuragi immediately clasped his body tightly to his own. "D…do aho, what are you doing?"

"Too cold…so warm…it feels so warm."

They quieted, their bodies growing adjusted to the full contact of another. Then Sakuragi spoke, "I think it's working. I'm not as cold or sore."

"Nnnn." Rukawa felt sleepy. Though it might be dangerous to sleep in this weather, he couldn't stop his eyes from closing.

"Rukawa?"

"Nnnn."

"Are you warm enough?"

"Nnnn."

"Okay. Sakuragi special!" Suddenly Rukawa felt hands running up and down his body, rubbing furiously.

"What…the…hell…?" Rukawa asked wearily.

"Are you getting warmer?" Sakuragi asked sparing no part of his body from the onslaught.

"Yea…h…" Rukawa's eyes sharpened as Sakuragi's hands neared areas better left untouched.

"Good. If we do this, then we should keep warm, right?"

"Uh…"

----------------------

"Anzai-sensei! The search teams found nothing at the slope, but they're working their way in a search pattern throughout the area. Just in case they wandered off in the blizzard." Mitsui reported quickly as he dashed into the Shohoku Search Command Room, or the hotel's private receiving room for special guests.

"I'm sure those two won't die…they're like the undead… Invincible." Akagi murmured, his eyes searching the darkness outside the windows.

"Rukawa-kun, Sakuragi-kun…" Haruko whispered, clasping her hands together, "please be safe."

Kogure dashed into the room, "I've just heard from the forecast, there'll be another twelve inches of snow. It's unbelievable out there…how can they search…mpffh.."

Mitsui clamped a hand over Kogure's mouth firmly, and shook his head at the pale faced Anzai, who clasped his hands and stared outside.

"Twelve inches?" Akagi questioned sharply. "Are they still searching, despite this blizzard?"

A scraping sound at the door revealed a hotel official with a wrinkled suit and harried face. "Ah, please excuse me for disrupting your conversation…but the search has been called off until morning. They will continue the moment light breaks over the sky…ummmm." The hotel official trailed off as he saw the absolute shock ripple through the waiting team.

-------

Hours later, as the first streak of dawn entered the sky, another hotel official came to report. Several students were sitting on the floor by the fireplace, while others stretched out on the floor. The main team of Shohoku stared outside the window, while the coach sat silently in his chair.

"Ahem…"

Those who were awake turned to face the newcomer.

"I am sorry to say, that the search has been unable to produce either Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa Kaede. At this point, they are presumed to be dead or buried under the mountain of snow that fell when they did."

"HAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! DID YOU GUYS EVEN LOOK?" Ryota suddenly shouted, rousing everyone awake with his voice.

The hotel employee cleared his throat, "Ah, well the rescue teams combed ten square miles of the point of avalanche…almost down to the end of the mountain. There's no way that they could have possibly survived the fall and trekked the fifteen miles to the base, especially if one or both were injured."

"What base?" Akagi asked, his voice scratchy from staying awake all night.

"Hmm? Oh the supply base that is no longer used. It really is rough terrain, and those boys, even if they are athletes, could not possibly…huh?"

The basketball team lurched forward, Akagi grabbing one arm and Mitsui grabbing the other.

"Where is that base?" Anzai sensei asked calmly as they carried the man out the door with them.

Haruko and Ayako stared at each other, then scrambled after the other basketball members pouring out the doorway into the hotel lobby.

Two hours and a bullied snowcat (large vehicle for traveling on snow) driver later, Akagi, Mitsui, Ryota, Kogure, Yasuda, Ayako and Haruko stared at the buried cabin in the middle of a snow drift. The driver cleared his throat, "We might want the ladies to stand back…if they are in there."

Akagi glanced over at the trembling girls and nodded, "Good idea. Stay there until we check it out.

Anzai sensei appeared from the other side of the snow cat and plodded steadily through the snow toward the cabin. He pushed the team members aside. "I'll be the first to check it out. I'm the adult, after all." Anzai sensei pushed up his fogging glasses and plodded through the heavy banks, Mitsui and Ryota on his heels. Akagi followed with Kogure and Yasuda.

Anzai sensei pushed on the door. "It seems stuck. Maybe we should…" He started pounding on the door and calling Rukawa and Sakuragi's names.

"Please move, Anzai sensei…" Mitsui suggested, carefully guiding the man away from the door.

"Akagi, Miyagi…are you ready?"

"YEAH!"

They kicked the door in.

--------

The first thing he noticed was the incredible heat pouring through every fiber of his body, the next thing he noticed was the feel of someone else lying next to him.

"MMMMM…" Sakuragi hugged that person close to him, "So warm…feels so good."

"Nnnn." Rukawa muttered in his sleep.

Sakuragi, still on the portal of sleep and waking, didn't hear the shouting and pounding. In fact, he heard nothing but the steady thump of the heart in the body lying on top of his own.

"Nnnn…" Rukawa muttered with annoyance. Someone somewhere was pounding, shouting. But the furnace-like warmth beneath him lulled him back into the boundary of sleep once more.

CRASH!

"RUKAWA! HANAMICHI! ARE YOU ALIVE?"

Rukawa's eyes snapped open and he bolted up, "I won't forgive those who disrupt my sleep, no matter who it is…" Quite oblivious to the fact he was naked, Rukawa started threateningly toward the absolutely flabbergasted basketball players and coach, his face a dark mass of hatred.

Sakuragi reached out a hand and grabbed his ankle, then somehow managed to twist Rukawa so he fell back down into the blanket. "Too cold…stay close…" Sakuragi commanded; cuddling next to Rukawa….who was gradually waking up from the impact of the fall. Somehow though, the restored warmth lulled him back into a grogginess that allowed him to fall asleep again. Soft snores emitted from under the blanket.

"Uh…uh…" Akagi couldn't think of anything to say.

"What is it? Are they all right? Are they alive?" Haruko and Ayako shouted simultaneously.

All those in the door way turned and nodded once, very slowly.

"YEAH! YEAH! Sakuragi-kun! Rukawa-san!" Haruko shouted with glee. Ayako leaned against the snowcat, then glared at the driver.

"Don't just stand there. They're likely to need medical attention! Can't you call someone on your radio?"

"Ah! Of course!" The driver hurriedly climbed into his cab and started the call.

Anzai sensei carefully shut the door and turned to face his team, "I think we'll leave what we've seen unremarked upon… They've managed to live through a life-threatening situation."

"Yeah…" Mitsui's face was bright red.

Ryota shook his head and clasped his gloved hands to his ears, "But I can't forget it!"

Kogure and Akagi cleared their throats, "Um…ha haa ha…" Kogure gestured for Akagi to speak.

"There wasn't any heat in the cabin. In physics, body heat is a great source of warmth. We don't know how hurt they were…so just forget it."

_Forget it._

Rukawa's eyes opened as he woke up alone in a hospital bed. He jerked his head around and sighed when he saw a familiar red head poking out of the next bed.

"Oy…do aho… you alive?"

"Hmmm?" Sakuragi turned his head sideways, then frowned, "How come you're over there?"

Rukawa blinked, "We got rescued…I think…"

Sakuragi yawned, "Oh…"

Both boys paused. "OH SHIT!"

Frozen in their beds, they tried to recall anything from the 'rescue' but were unable.

"Do you think they saw?" Sakuragi whispered.

"…."

"Oy, Kitsune…did they see?" Sakuragi demanded.

"Probably. We didn't dress ourselves, right?"

From outside the shared hospital room, the gathered members of Shohoku heard an ungodly scream.

"I think they're awake."

"Uh…"

Ryota grabbed Mitsui's arm and whispered, "Listen, we can't tell them what we saw…no matter what… They will want blood for sure."

"Tell them what?" Ayako and Haruko chorused from behind their elbows.

"AH!" Ryota bolted away from Mitsui.

"AH!" Mitsui bolted back into Kogure.

"NOTHING! IT WAS NOTHING!" Mitsui and Ryota chorused.

------------

Inside the room, Sakuragi and Rukawa took deep breaths.

"It doesn't hurt anymore…does that mean we're okay now?" Sakuragi asked glaring at the machines blipping at his bedside.

Rukawa leaned back tiredly, "I don't know. I'm too tired to think right now."

"Who do you think rescued us?" Sakuragi asked timidly.

Rukawa stared at the ceiling. "Don't know."

----------

The door burst open and the basketball team poured in, Anzai sensei the first one in the door.

"Sakuragi, Rukawa, you missed the game today." Anzai sighed deeply.

"Huh? But wasn't that on Sunday? Isn't today Saturday or something?" Sakuragi lifted himself up on his elbows.

Ayako pushed him down immediately, "Rest, Sakuragi. It's important for you. You've both been exposed to below freezing temperatures. I don't know how you survived…"

"Nyahahahahaha. This tensai could never die by freezing, Ayako." Sakuragi chortled, leaning back on his bed.

Rukawa scoffed, "That's true. You're like a furnace…" He stopped talking immediately.

"Huh? What are you talking about Kitsune? You're the hot one…I almost started sweating!" Sakuragi responded, suddenly getting a little ticked.

The team members in the room remained silent, while Haruko tilted her head, "What are you talking about?"

Both boys swallowed hard and clamped their mouths shut.

"Um…who rescued us?" Sakuragi finally asked.

Kogure smiled as he stepped forward between the two beds, "Well, you were quite a distance away from the avalanche. At least five miles further than the search pattern. But Anzai, Akagi and I all knew that with you two, anything's possible."

"Nyahahahahahaha! That's right, I'm a tensai, after all."

"Stop laughing, do aho. You were unconscious until we arrived at the cabin. You did nothing."

"Kitsune! How dare you say that! Who rubbed you all night so you wouldn't get cold?"

"Rubbed….?" Haruko repeated stupidly, glancing back and forth between them.

"Do aho! Who had the idea in the first place? Don't forget I dug us out of the snow and carried you to that shack!"

"DAMN KITSUNE!"

"…"

"Um…I don't understand…" Haruko said softly, "What…"

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

"Ah!"  
"Oh ho ho ho ho."

"Haruko-san, perhaps you could run and get the nurse or doctor. Since these two are up now, there might be some tests that need to be performed." Anzai sensei suggested.

"Good idea, Haruko! I'll go with you!" Ayako grabbed Haruko's arm and dashed out the door. "It might be a while before we find a nurse!" Ayako waved them on.

"…oh…Haruko-chan…" Sakuragi felt tears prick his eyes.

"…..hmph…" Rukawa snorted.

"So, you two did well to stay alive. And that's all we'll say on that matter. As for the ones who rescued you…it was us."

"Huh?" Sakuragi and Rukawa stopped glaring at each other to turn astounded faces at the team.

"That's right. We searched for you after the searchers gave up. It took a long time to find you, so I don't want to hear any more groaning!" Akagi bellowed.

"Oh, that's right, why didn't you use the kerosene in the closet to light a fire?" Ryota questioned.

"It was right underneath a large kerosene heater…that could have solved your problems with heat…right?"

"YOU DAMN FOX!"


End file.
